Richard W. Smith, 87

January 03, 2023

Richard W. Smith, 87, of Ephrata passed away Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Born in small town Connersville, IN April 30, 1935, Dick was a true Hoosier. Common sense values and cornball humor were his hallmarks. His witticisms often had to be explained with “That’s a joke, Son!” His core values were faith, family, and country.

His mother Agnes was a homemaker and father Roman owned a furniture and appliance store. Dick worked there with his dad and Uncle Vic, learning the ins and outs of business. Summers were spent at the family cabin on Clear Lake, MI. Where he developed his lifelong love of boating and fishing.
Dick graduated from Connersville H.S., Purdue University and a Masters from Central Michigan University. Upon graduating from Purdue in 1957, his Air Force career began, spanning 28 years. He served around the world including Japan, Los Angeles Station, and Germany where he met his wife Betty in 1972.

They were married in St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Lancaster, honeymooned on Clear Lake, MI and returned to Germany to finish his tour. First son David was born in Germany in 1973 and the family moved to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, where three more sons were added to the family.

Next stop was California, where he found a small town atmosphere in Redlands in 1979. He later retired out of Norton AFB as a Colonel, having spent his military career working R&D for the aerospace industry. After forty years, the empty nesters moved back to PA to be close to family. Here they found another small town in Ephrata.

Richard was pre-deceased by his parents, sister Betty Jean and her husband Art Goris, many aunts, uncles and cousins in the Smith and Linnaman families and his great nephew Craig Goris.

He is survived by his wife, his four sons and their families: David, Kelly and Zachary of Harker Heights, TX; Steven, Brooke, Elliott and Shelby of Tampa, FL; Andrew, Karolina, Klara, Roman and Henry of Springfield, VA; and Patrick, Amanda and Grace of Highlands Ranch, CO; his three nephews and their families: Gregg, Donna and Sara Jean of Ojai, CA; Dan, Dorothea and Heather of Batesville, IN; and Jeff and Betty of Rolla, MO; and many cousins in Indiana.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Mother of Perpetual Help Church, 320 Church Ave, Ephrata, PA on Monday, January 16, 2023. Visitation will begin at 9:30AM to 10:30AM, Rosary at 10:30AM and Mass at 11AM. Interment will be private in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Dick’s memory to St. Clement’s Missions House, 300 W. Pine St, Ephrata, PA 17522.